


Carbon Copy

by KibblerEars



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-16
Updated: 2012-11-16
Packaged: 2017-11-18 20:00:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/564717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KibblerEars/pseuds/KibblerEars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The railing had been broken during the fight; he wouldn't even have to take a full step backwards to fall.  But he couldn't look away from the man standing a ways down the catwalk from him; the man he came to save. </p>
<p>The man he failed. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>[Or what could have happened if Coulson had been the one to confront Clint on the helicarrier instead of Natasha.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	Carbon Copy

His fist clenched tight around the radio in his hand. He could only say Clint's name, the word escaping his lips in a hoarse whisper that, to him, sounded louder than any scream. His shoulders dropped as his hands fell to his sides and he swallowed, lifting his head to meet his face.

Above them, the faint sound of gunfire and explosions sounded, telling them of the ongoing fight as Loki's minions attempted to take over the helicarrier. Down where they were, in the bowels of the ship, things were almost eerily quiet, the loudest noises being the harshness of their breathing as they stood on opposite ends of the catwalk, staring each other down. The edge of Phil's heels hung over the edge of the catwalk he stood on. The railing had been broken during the fight; he wouldn't even have to take a full step backwards to fall. But he couldn't look away from the man standing a ways down the catwalk from him; the man he came to save. 

The man he failed. 

Silence roared in his ears as he watched Clint pull another arrow from his quiver; his heart pounded in his chest and his usually dry eyes filled with the faint edge of tears he wouldn't shed. Static erupted from the radio, followed by Fury's desperate order for anyone to report in and tell him what the hell was going on. He clicked it off and tossed it aside, holding his hands out to Clint in a silent plea. 

Those blue clouded eyes watched him coldly but he knew that face and body well enough to read the traces of hesitation in Clint and he hazarded a step forward only to stop as Clint took immediate aim at the movement. He stopped again; he was losing him. 

A small smirk crossed Clint's face; a smirk full of wicked mischief that, were it not so brutal and cold, would be almost a carbon copy of the smirk Clint had given him just the night before as they had tumbled around in Phil's over-sized bed and reacquainted themselves with each other after several weeks apart. His heart ached with the need to see that look again; to hear Clint whisper his name in hushed love and awe; feel him convulse around Phil as he dragged Clint to completion. 

But as he watched a familiar muscled arm pull back the string on his bow, he knew he'd never see or hear any of those things again. He'd never chastise Clint for kissing him on duty again; never feel Clint's warmth pressed against him; never live out any of the idle daydreams he had entertained for them one day. 

The hesitation was still there though, hidden within those clouds of blue brainwashing, and he knew he could push his luck just a little bit more. He took another step forward. 

Clint's eyes narrowed but he made no other movement.

Phil took another step forward.

A noise sounded from somewhere in the helicarrier - another explosion - and Phil watched as all the tiny traces of his lover disappeared from those cold eyes and the archer unleashed the arrow. 

He caught sight of Natasha running at Clint just as he closed his eyes and braced for impact and then. 

Nothing.


End file.
